The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced plans to demand EU nations and the United Kingdom start showing trigger warnings on films and television shows that include tobacco products on screen.
The WHO is also calling for the age classification of films to take into account the level of tobacco consumption depicted during the film, meaning children’s classics like 101 Dalmatians and Pinocchio could no longer be deemed suitable for youngsters.
An official WHO report calls on COP10 EU nations – which still includes the UK – to ensure they have a “ratings or classification system that takes tobacco depictions into account”.
Not content with further moves to ban depictions of smoking, the WHO also wants governments to toughen smoking and vaping laws at a session of its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Panama next month.
They’re demanding tighter controls on the advertising, distribution and use of vape devices, and even want to consider a total ban on e-cigarettes, which despite helping many to stop smoking they describe as “harmful to health and not safe”.
A document by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control includes recommendations for a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertisement promotion and sponsorship across “all types of media, including digital media and [social media]”.
It also says countries should “require health and content warnings on entertainment media that depicts tobacco”.
A Tory MP has now blasted the proposals, warning they could force trigger warnings across Brits’ TV screens “every time Churchill took a puff from a cigar in The Darkest Hour”.
Mark Eastwood has demanded the Government stand up to the EU and WHO over this, telling the Express: “As someone who recently gave up smoking, I was pleased to be able to support the Government’s swap to stop policy when it was announced in March”.
“Our approach to harm reduction and less harmful alternatives to cigarettes has been world class and it is good to the government will defend this record at COP10.”
“But the government has to stand up to the EU and WHO on ridiculous stuff like this.
Can you imagine a flashing trigger warning across your TV screen every time Churchill took a puff from a cigar in The Darkest Hour? Complete madness.
“Us Brits like to be treated like adults and do not want the WHO politicising our favourite films and TV shows.”
Rishi Sunak is already going than many countries in moving to a complete ban on cigarettes, however.
At the Tory Party conference in Manchester he announced plans to ban smoking entirely by raising the legal smoking age by year every year, meaning a 14-year-old today will never be able to legally buy a cigarette.
He said he wants their generation “grow up smoke free”.
